B&BMan
Newbie
"Former (white) Bok captain and fly-half Naas Botha was first nominated, but he was dismissed by SA Rugby - who made it clear that the next Bok manager had to be an ethnic black."
Affirmative action will probably ruin this team. I have since learned they chose Zola Yeye to be team manager, an ethnic black of course. Their previous (white) manager, Arthob Pietersen, stepped down earlier this year - probably sick of all the b.s. which is ever on the rise in this once-great country.
Boks, SA Rugby deny 'player strike' threat
Monday October 30 2006
'We don't know a thing about that, it is news to us'
SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd, the commercial arm of the South African Rugby Union (SARU), and the Springbok team have denied any knowledge of an allege threat by players and team management to go on strike because of the ongoing dispute over the appointment of a Bok team manager.
It was reported on Monday that the Springboks could go on strike over the appointment of the team manager, with the team reportedly preferring former SA Rugby managing director Songezo Nayo to SARU's first choice, Zola Yeye, the SABC Eastern Cape regional manager.
A third candidate, Liston Ntshongwana, a former Springbok, was not accepted by the board of SA Rugby.
The trouble started when Arthob Pietersen stepped down as Bok team manager earlier this year.
Former Bok captain and fly-half Naas Botha was first nominated, but he was dismissed by SA Rugby - who made it clear that the next Bok manager had to be an ethnic black.
This caused all kinds of speculation and eventually the names of Nayo, Yeye and Ntshongwana appeared on the final shortlist.
Rumour then suggested that Yeye was the frontrunner, which allegedly resulted in the threats of a player strike.
However, Basil Haddad, the acting MD of SA Rugby, says although there have been rumours of a dispute, no such action has been taken by any party.
"I've confirmed this with the SARPA [South African Rugby Players Union] representative this morning and definitely no dispute has been declared," Haddad said.
"The fact of the matter is that the talks and discussion around some of the issues are ongoing and hopefully by tomorrow [Tuesday] evening there will some finality one way or another.
"Technically Zola had applied and then he withdrew, but apparently there are talks on the go again, there is a possibility seeing as though he made himself available again."
Vusi Kama, the Bok media manager, also denied any knowledge of a possible player strike.
"SA Rugby will be issuing a statement on that," he said, when asked about the reports of a player strike.
"We don't know a thing about that. It is news to us. We've just come back from a weekend off, and we're only coming together today [Monday]. But SA Rugby will issue a statement ... as soon as possible, maybe tomorrow."
Haddad suggested that the Springboks could embark on their year-end tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland without a permanent manager if the matter is not fully resolved.
"There is a possibility that there will not be a permanent manager accompanying the Springboks. Their [Yeye, Nayo, Ntshongwana] applications were technically not successful and as you can understand I cannot elaborate further on that. We are looking for the right person for the job. There are a number of possibilities," said Haddad.
A sub-committee of the SA Rugby Board, White and Springbok captain John Smit will be meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
"The final decision to who will be manager lies with SA Rugby while Jake (White) has the right to be consulted," Haddad said.
Source: planet-rugby.com/News/story_54779.shtmlEdited by: B&BMan
Affirmative action will probably ruin this team. I have since learned they chose Zola Yeye to be team manager, an ethnic black of course. Their previous (white) manager, Arthob Pietersen, stepped down earlier this year - probably sick of all the b.s. which is ever on the rise in this once-great country.
Boks, SA Rugby deny 'player strike' threat
Monday October 30 2006
'We don't know a thing about that, it is news to us'
SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd, the commercial arm of the South African Rugby Union (SARU), and the Springbok team have denied any knowledge of an allege threat by players and team management to go on strike because of the ongoing dispute over the appointment of a Bok team manager.
It was reported on Monday that the Springboks could go on strike over the appointment of the team manager, with the team reportedly preferring former SA Rugby managing director Songezo Nayo to SARU's first choice, Zola Yeye, the SABC Eastern Cape regional manager.
A third candidate, Liston Ntshongwana, a former Springbok, was not accepted by the board of SA Rugby.
The trouble started when Arthob Pietersen stepped down as Bok team manager earlier this year.
Former Bok captain and fly-half Naas Botha was first nominated, but he was dismissed by SA Rugby - who made it clear that the next Bok manager had to be an ethnic black.
This caused all kinds of speculation and eventually the names of Nayo, Yeye and Ntshongwana appeared on the final shortlist.
Rumour then suggested that Yeye was the frontrunner, which allegedly resulted in the threats of a player strike.
However, Basil Haddad, the acting MD of SA Rugby, says although there have been rumours of a dispute, no such action has been taken by any party.
"I've confirmed this with the SARPA [South African Rugby Players Union] representative this morning and definitely no dispute has been declared," Haddad said.
"The fact of the matter is that the talks and discussion around some of the issues are ongoing and hopefully by tomorrow [Tuesday] evening there will some finality one way or another.
"Technically Zola had applied and then he withdrew, but apparently there are talks on the go again, there is a possibility seeing as though he made himself available again."
Vusi Kama, the Bok media manager, also denied any knowledge of a possible player strike.
"SA Rugby will be issuing a statement on that," he said, when asked about the reports of a player strike.
"We don't know a thing about that. It is news to us. We've just come back from a weekend off, and we're only coming together today [Monday]. But SA Rugby will issue a statement ... as soon as possible, maybe tomorrow."
Haddad suggested that the Springboks could embark on their year-end tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland without a permanent manager if the matter is not fully resolved.
"There is a possibility that there will not be a permanent manager accompanying the Springboks. Their [Yeye, Nayo, Ntshongwana] applications were technically not successful and as you can understand I cannot elaborate further on that. We are looking for the right person for the job. There are a number of possibilities," said Haddad.
A sub-committee of the SA Rugby Board, White and Springbok captain John Smit will be meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday to discuss the issue.
"The final decision to who will be manager lies with SA Rugby while Jake (White) has the right to be consulted," Haddad said.
Source: planet-rugby.com/News/story_54779.shtmlEdited by: B&BMan
